Business in the Old Lanes
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Shuttling through the lanes of different sizes in the old town of Shanghai, seeking for the fading traces of history and experiencing the humanistic flavors in old Shanghai is an emerging fashion in the city today, while you might not imagine how splendid the business was in the present serene and desolate old lanes. Although the business of "tiger hearth" (a kind of small shop that sell boiled water to neighbors in south China) was not much in scale, it was always the most popular place in the lane; the landlady of the convenient store knew everything about each household; the coolies in the lane factories sometimes spared themselves in a chat at the doorway; the hucksters wandered about the streets, hawking all the way…It was because of them that the quiet lanes was full of vitality and stories. As a "local specialty" in Shanghai, the lanes are not only the embodiment of the history and customs of Shanghai, but also a reflection of the lifestyle and cultural traditions of the people. Experiencing the charm of Shanghai lanes is like reading the history of this metropolitan, which helps us to explore the spiritual connotation of the Shanghai-style culture. |
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Lane Businesses
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- Tiger Hearth
- Laohu Zao (Tiger Hearth), or Boiled Water Store, is named after its shape.
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- Cigarette-and-paper Store
- It refers to the convenient store opened in the lane or street nearby providing people with daily necessities in old times.
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- Lane Factories
- It refers to the small-scale factories in the lanes, which were usually small processing plants or workshops.
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- Hawking
- The most distinctive characteristic of "lane business" in Shanghai shall be the unceasing hawking sound.
Other Topics
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- Shikumen-Stone...
- The Shikumen is the residential houses in Shanghai with the most typical local flavor.
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- Beijing Hutongs
- Hutong refers to lanes and alleys between the Siheyuan (courtyard with buildings on four sides)...
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- Impressions of...
- In a tranquil hutong, A tree-lined narrow slate path zigzags through; Few people are passing...
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- The Development...
- Some say longtangs are the background of Shanghai City. It is absolutely true. Longtangs of...
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- Unique Longtangs
- Longtangs or alleys in Shanghai vary greatly in size and style, with each having its own stories....
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- The Architectural...
- There is a variety of ways for architectural decoration of longtangs (alleys). In most cases,...
Books
Feng Shui in the Home: Creating...
Studies in Chinese Ceramics
